[MPWG] Deer Foraging Threatens Ginseng Survival

Fri Feb 11 10:21:35 CST 2005

There are a number of facts not included in this article.
First, ginseng in WV is not threatened and has never been threatened. The 
largest threat to ginseng is the mentality of US Fish and Wildlife that is 
exemplified by a disregard for conservation of this plant which is indeed 
important to people here. The fact that they have refused and blindly denied 
the rights of farmers growing ginseng to harvest and sell their farm raised 
products unimpeded by their wild harvest laws is evidence that the problem 
is much more serious than the conservation of plants in the wild. It would 
appear that conservation of the plant is not their goal but bringing damage 
to rural populations is.
US Fish and Wildlife pays McGraw at WVU to provide information they want 
whether it is correct or not. In fact, if you listen to what he claims you 
would be lead to believe that all ginseng berries get ripe at the same time 
no matter where you are or whatever the weather is like.  Mr. McGraw has 
absolutely no concern for the people of WV and in fact comes from elsewhere 
with issues about people of Appalachia.
>From recent discussions I know that other university affiliated ginseng 
folks could easily dispute the McGraw claims regarding ginseng.
The deer population is in decline and has been for several years. More 
liberal doe hunting in the state has really cut into the population along 
with more predation. On our farm we have removed many deer over the past 
five years and are at a point where the deer are not impacting our ginseng.
However, policies of US Fish and Wildlife which do not consider the social, 
economic, and environmental impacts of their decisions in a Holistic way, 
will always be a much greater risk to the conservation of anything than 
human harvest or deer overpopulation.
Let us consider the US Fish and Wildlife refusal to permit a certification 
process for growers of wild simulated ginseng.
In WV the West Virginia Ginseng Growers Association has two hundred members 
across the state, which plant and maintain private ginseng plots each year. 
US Fish and Wildlife has continually sought a total ban on harvesting 
ginseng bit by bit over the years such that growers are concerned about 
being able to sell and export what is theirs that they have grown.
Out of this a push for legislation exempting wild simulated growers is 
underway which would simply take this farm grown ginseng out of the 
authority of US Fish and Wildlife to protect the industry and conserve wild 
plants from over harvesting. Against very basic constitutional rights they 
have fought to keep this from happening.
The only conclusion one can reach is that a well-contrived plan to eliminate 
ginseng as an industry and as a plant in the wild is behind their actions. 
Less work for government servants?
However, we are taught that most people have good intentions but can only 
function with what they understand. I suspect this is true even though 
people’s rights are so blatantly being violated to the detriment of our 
population and the health of ginseng in general. If US Fish and Wildlife 
wanted to do things better with regard to the people and the ginseng they 
have not been forthright in coming forward to work on these issues. Instead 
they have systematically declined all alternative views both scientific and 
social and have put all their marbles in one small line of antidotal 
research, which no one in the industry can take serious.
The growers cannot go away and will not. We seem to be at a standstill.
Growers asked for something very simple yet government beau racy has stymied 
something, which has been and will be the only thing, which saves this plant 
from human decision making activity.
It is my understanding that US Fish and Wildlife officials are required to 
obtain training on the US Constitution and that they should be aware of 
their requirements to American people.
Fred Hays
Certified Holistic Educator, farmer, teacher, forest practicioner,rural 
advocate,bladesmith,aquaculturist,native west virginian, founding board 
member of WVGGA,spokesman for WVGGA


>From: Sonya <msredsonya at earthlink.net>
>To: MPWG at lists.plantconservation.org
>Subject: [MPWG] Deer Foraging Threatens Ginseng Survival
>Date: Fri, 11 Feb 2005 03:56:12 -0500
>
>Source: West Virginia University Released: Thu 10-Feb-2005, 14:10 ET
>http://www.nis.wvu.edu
>Deer Foraging Threatens Ginseng Survival
>
>
>An abundant deer population with a hearty appetite for American ginseng 
>threatens the survival of the widely harvested medicinal plant, a study by 
>West Virginia University biologists suggests.
>
>
>Newswise — An abundant deer population with a hearty appetite for American 
>ginseng threatens the survival of the widely harvested medicinal plant, a 
>study by West Virginia University biologists suggests.
>
>Ginseng, a wild herb that inhabits eastern deciduous forests from Maine to 
>Georgia, faces extinction within 100 years if foraging by deer continues at 
>its current rate, James McGraw and Mary Ann Furedi report in Friday’s (Feb. 
>11) issue of Science, the flagship journal of the American Association for 
>the Advancement of Science.
>
>“Without more effective deer population control, ginseng and many other 
>valuable understory herbs are likely to become extinct in the coming 
>century,” the authors conclude.
>
>American ginseng, or Panax quinquefolius, grows under forest canopies in 
>well-drained, nutrient-rich soils. The plant consists of green leaves, red 
>berries and gnarly roots whose touted medicinal qualities range from 
>improving mental performance to being a cure-all.
>
>Asians have sworn by these medicinal qualities for centuries, and the high 
>demand for ginseng in that corner of the world has made it a cash crop in 
>Appalachia. More than 10,000 West Virginians go into the woods each fall to 
>find ginseng to sell; for some, the harvests provide an important income 
>supplement. In 2002, more than 6,400 pounds of ginseng with a value 
>exceeding $2 million were harvested in West Virginia, according to the 
>state Division of Forestry’s Web site.
>
>Past studies have shown a drop in ginseng populations, and concern over its 
>rarity led to the plant being added to an international treaty’s list of 
>protected species.
>
>In the WVU study, McGraw, an Eberly Family Professor in WVU’s Department of 
>Biology, and Furedi, his research associate, conducted a census of about 
>800 ginseng plants in seven different locations in West Virginia from 
>2000-04.
>
>Furedi examined each plant every three weeks during the five-year period, 
>collecting detailed information ranging from the height and number of 
>leaves to whether deer had browsed the plants.
>
>The amount of deer browsing ranged from 11 percent to 100 percent, 
>depending on deer and plant populations and plant locations, she said.
>
>The lowest rate, McGraw noted, is more than double the amount of ginseng 
>harvested, which is less than 5 percent.
>
>Next, McGraw designed a computer program that took Furedi’s field data and 
>manipulated it to determine the effects of deer foraging of ginseng at 
>various rates over 100 years.
>
>Their simulations included browsing based on various deer populations, 
>ranging from the present herd count studied to no deer.
>
>“We found that at current deer browsing rates, virtually all ginseng 
>populations are likely to go extinct,” McGraw said. “As you reduce the 
>browsing rates, the ability of ginseng to survive increases dramatically.”
>
>McGraw said he is concerned that ginseng could be the ecological equivalent 
>of the canary in the coal mine, noting that deer eat many other forest 
>plants such as trilliums and wild orchids.
>
>“We don’t think it’s just ginseng we have to worry about,” he said.
>
>So what can be done?
>
>McGraw said there are three options: Do nothing and watch ginseng likely 
>disappear from the landscape; reintroduce deer predators such as mountain 
>lions and wolves; or change hunting regulations that would lead to a 
>reduction in deer populations.
>
>“This has a potential impact not only on plant biodiversity in the region, 
>but also on the economy and culture of the people who harvest ginseng,” he 
>said. “Reversing this impact will require a joint effort of all 
>stakeholders whose lives are negatively affected by increased deer 
>populations – from farmers and foresters to landscapers and motorists.”
>
>The National Science Foundation supported the study.
>
>
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>--
>Sonya  PLoS Medicine The open-access general medical journal from the 
>Public Library of Science Inaugural issue: Autumn 2004   Share your 
>discoveries with the world. http://www.plosmedicine.org
>
>
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